


So, I Got Reborn in Another World

by orphan_account



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Doesn't have scheduled update, Everyone is everyone but they change name, F/M, Multi, My brain is thinking about Steins Gate world line stuff to make everything made sense, Reading too much Isekai will result in brain damage, Reverse Harem, The infamous Isekai-ed and the tropes that follows, The whole point of Divine Pulse is World Line Convergence, The world is based on otome game in my head, kinda but it is more like everyone loves Professor for one reason or other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:27:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 18,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22348723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: So I'm on a bit of burn so I wrote something silly although my personality would make it rather serious.But seriously this is just silly and destroy everything.Everyone loves Byleth for some reason. There is time paradox as well due to the whim of God. The result of writing things just because I want to write it.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Edelgard von Hresvelg, My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan, My Unit | Byleth/Everyone
Kudos: 23





	1. Meeting with 'God'

**Author's Note:**

> I'm aware that no one will be happy if they keep staying in Fódlan. Like, I need to kill one or two at least to end the story! So what is my idea of making all my ship become true at the same time without destroying the game story?
> 
> ISEKAI THEM, EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM!
> 
> Look at this story with warm eyes please. I don't even understand what manner of weirdness I just wrote.

When Byleth wakes up, she realized that she is in an unknown place. She blinked once and then twice but the surrounding hasn’t changed at all.

“...”

To be honest she is surprised. Exactly because she is surprised, she turned silent.

For that reason alone, it took her few moment to start thinking about her condition right now.

“This isn’t the place I met Sothis either...” Byleth looked around once more.

There is nothing but never-ending whiteness around her. 

She looks at her hand and then her clothes. Just like everything around her, she wear a simple, plain, white one piece. She doesn’t wear any footwear but she doesn’t feels like she is standing on something solid. It isn’t like she was floating either.

She looks at her hand for few long moment as a question appeared in her hand.

‘ _Was my hand this smooth?_ ’

Byleth doesn’t understand it. The last thing she remembered is that she is way older than how her hand looked like. She is old enough that she spent most of her time on bed or sitting somewhere. 

She is that old.

Then her memories flood back into her mind.

“I was…” Byleth looked upward.

Her memories started from meeting Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude in Remiere village. Her father Jeralt is still around as well. A lot happened after that.

Yes, a lot.

But Byleth realized that she can’t remember the exact detail of what happened. An important detail like which class she ended up with. She remember the event that happened other than that and she remember falling into slumber.

Yet, it remains a blank after that.

Like something is trying to cloud her memories. Although she remember being on the top of Fódlan, she can’t remember the one beside her.

Byleth know she spent a lot of time, her whole lifetime with that person. But she can’t remember the face. That person is really, really, really important and yet...

“ _No need to think deeply children of Fódlan_ ,” Byleth hears a voice that come out of nowhere.

“Who?” Byleth turns around, looking at her surrounding for the first one thing who talked with her in this never-ending white.

She heard a giggle following her question.

Byleth look around again and when she blink, her surrounding has changed once again. Now it is a never ending fields filled with sunflower.

Standing not far from her is something resembling someone she never thought would see again.

“Sothis...?” before her mind managed to process it, her mouth has immediately betrayed her.

Right there is Sothis standing… floating in between the tall sunflower around them. But at the same time it looks different than Sothis.

“ _Too bad but I’m not that one you called. I merely borrowed her appearance to talk with you. If it is someone familiar to you, I thought it would make you feel much better..._ ” the person in front of her said with Sothis’ voice although Byleth could sense that it was different, just like what the voice claimed to be.

“…” Byleth is at loss to what to say.

The Sothis-like person then said, “ _Well, I guess I should introduce myself. I am what you call as God. You could call me as Goddess as well if that helps, I’m the one who bring you here,_ ” the one who claimed to be a God says with a tone that reverberates in Byleth’s mind. 

“God…” Byleth repeated the words as she doesn’t understand what a God has to do with her.

“ _Well, I won’t blame you of feeling confused. To put it simply you have died in the world you come from. You should have realized that by now. Even if I said that I’m a God I’m not the God of your world. I’m a God from another world_ ,” God said again as she waves her hand and the surrounding around them changed into vast night sky.

“I don’t really understand…” Byleth responded as she has no idea what it meant for her right now.

“ _Right… well, to put it simply I want you to reincarnate into my world. You made a lot of interesting things in your world so I want you to do the same thing in mine_!” the God said with amused laugh as she approach Byleth.

Byleth merely looked at the God who borrowed Sothis’ appearance. From what she understand, her condition right now is because of the God’s whim.

“ _My world is fairly new you see. I made it interesting but those I created hasn’t really tap into its full potential. That’s where you come in, well even if you don’t want it, I’ll still make you do it. After all I’m a God!_ ” the God said as it took a back leap away from Byleth. 

“Then it doesn’t make sense for you to speak personally to me,” Byleth questioned since it simply doesn’t add up.

The God look at her with a dumbfounded expression. The God then laughed loudly, saying, “ _I like you! Yeah, I understand why you’re the best one for my world! That Goddess is right at that! You’ll surely make everything much more interesting!_ ”

Byleth tilted her head to the side and merely gaze at the God who seems to have so much fun from her words. The God then wipe its tears away and says, “ _Then I’ll have you pull a lottery from this box. My world, like yours have magic and those fantasy stuff you know. So, I want you to try your luck on how your life would goes on. It isn’t that hard, just pull on something and done!_ ”

Byleth saw that the God already have something like a box on her hand. With a smile that resembles Sothis, the God offered the box to Byleth.

Knowing that she has no say in it, she put her hand into the box, feeling something like paper on her touch. The God still smiles and says, “ _Hurry up, hurry up!_ ”

Byleth stir the box a bit before feeling her fingers on a paper. She took that one and pulled it out.

“ _So, what kind of setting you get? Boring one? Interesting one?_ ” the God asked as the box disappeared from its hands.

Byleth looked at the God who have a weird tension before looking at the paper in her hand. She wanted to say that the box might be rigged in the first place. Her memory might be in shambles but she remember that her lifetime was spent dealing with such people.

“ _What are you waiting for? Hurry it up_!” the God seems to get impatient.

“…” Byleth stared at the God and decided to just open the paper. 

There is arguably weird writing in it.

* * *

Name: Byleth  
Race: Cat Sìth  
Level: 10  
HP: 1500/1500  
MP: 2000/2000  
Attack: C  
Magic: B  
Defense: C  
Resistance: B  
Speed: EX  
Luck: E  
Skill:  
"Perfect Memory EX"

* * *

“What is this?” Byleth questioned the weird spread of her status.

The God laughed and saying, “ _How interesting! Head that you like Cat! Now you become a cat! But to draw an E luck of all thing! Seems like your life would be very interesting!_ ”

Byleth looked at the God who seems to take fun in whatever things she ended with.

“ _Well seems like you have interesting skill as well. Memory huh… Well, you’ll still forgot your past life though!_ ” the God said as it start floating higher from Byleth.

“I still don’t understand why I’ll forget when I have a perfect memory…” Byleth pointed out.

The God laughed again. Byleth stopped counting on how many times the God who borrowed Sothis appearance has laughed. Maybe the God just had weird funny spot.

“ _It won’t be interesting if you remembered all your life from your past life don’t you think?_ ” for once the God actually said something that isn’t based on its own whim.

“Okay, sure…” though Byleth know that it is still part of the God’s whim as well.

“ _You don’t believe in me right? I see, I see. But there is an exception to that rule,_ ” the God responded while nodding its head.

“Exception?” Byleth questioned as it picks up her interest.

“ _Yes, if it is something veeery important it stays in your soul, then I can’t meddle with it at all. God can’t peek that deep into the souls of mortals,_ ” the God says with a warm smile as it went down and put an index finger to a place that would be near Byleth’s heart.

“Is that so?” Byleth questioned again as she put a hand on the same place as well. It felt oddly warm there.

The God nodded as if saying that since it is God then there is no mistake on it. This time Byleth accepted it.

The God then move away while saying, “ _Well, that is all I need to say to you. Now how about I send you away so you can start playing? I want to see you stir the world!_ ”

As soon as the God said that, Byleth felt her consciousness become hazy. She tried to focus on the God but her body seems to rebel on her.

Her eyelids feels heavy and she felt like she was pulled down. She can't feel strength in her body as she drifted. In between her haze, she felt like she hears the God last words for her.

“ _As a present on your new life, if you worked hard enough maybe you’ll gain back your past ability. Well, it isn’t like you’ll remember this~_ ”

* * *

Byleth then falls into slumber.

The next moment her eyes opened, she jumped out from the bed.

“That was…” she looked at her hand that is replaced into cat paws.

She remember perfectly that she is Byleth. But it is the first time she remembered how she has past life before this and got reincarnated from the whim’s of this world’s God.

“…” Byleth can’t help but get a little bit shocked at the sudden memory that come back to her.

Her unique skill is that she has Perfect Memory in the EX ranking. That ranking means that her memory is so strong it is weirder for her to forgot something even if it happen during her birth. She does learn to keep unnecessary memory away.

But right now, she only reminded about that talk with the God.

“It must be the whim of that God as well…” Byleth concluded as she get down from her bed and opening her window.

… only to barely dodge a spear flying right past her.

‘ _Right… this thing also exist..._ ’ Byleth sighed as she looked at the spear that now stay in the wall of her room.

E rank Luck. It is the worst Luck ever come to existence. 

Thanks to that Luck, her life since birth has been filled with all sort of bad luck. Even her race is considered a bad luck.

“I must calm down and think about my current condition…” Byleth mumbled as she pulled the spear from the wall and put it nearby for the original owner who might come to look for it.

First, Byleth lives in a continent called Tuatha and a Kingdom called Mag Mell. It is the biggest Kingdom in the continent, only rivaled by the nearby country called Ildathach. The citizen all across the land is separated into two kind, Human and non-human. Obviously there are more human compared to the non-human but there are all sort of non-human that it might be more than the amount of human race if counted.

Byleth race is Cat Sìth, a race of Feline that has the appearance of cat standing on two feet. Cat Sìth in general isn’t that bad, but Byleth’s black ear and black tail made her be a personification of Black Cat. Her E rank luck doesn’t even help.

“But since I knew that I remember about that God… everything just made much more sense,” Byleth mumbled as she changed for the day.

It is indeed made a lot of sense, after all the God bring her into the world to make it interesting. And just like that ever since her birth, a lot of things happened. She was born in rural place where the attitude toward non-human is really harsh. Then her village was attacked by bandit and it was only after few days of desperate running around that the Knight Order came.

It isn’t like she always has bad luck, she is lucky to be brought by the Knight Order at that time. Thanks to that she is now living under the Order and have a better life in the Capital City of Elatha. Her Speed and Perfect Memory in rank EX was treated highly by the Order so they look away from her extreme bad luck.

“I want to go back… to Fódlan...” Byleth mumbled as she looked at her paw-like hands.

Byleth has felt that living in here felt a bit hollow. Like she isn’t meant to be here. Even if she has better life now there is a part of her that yearn for someplace.

That place is Fódlan. A place so far away from her reach. Her home.

“…” Byleth clutched her hand tightly. She knew she is still forgetting someone. Someone really important.

But she remember that the God has erased her memories of past life.

Yes, it was erased… it is supposed to be so...

But right here right now she certainly remembered a part of her past life. Then there is a hole in that act of memory erasure.

Just like what the God had told her.

If it is engraved in her soul, there is a chance that she could remember it again just like her Fódlan.

Then what she must do is just one. 

“I need to remember… who is that person is…” Byleth stood up from her bed and took her thin rapier.

The God wanted her to make the world interesting.

To be honest Byleth still doesn’t understand what it meant nor she has the plan to grant the wish of that whimsical God.

But she has the feeling that she must remember or else she would regret it.

Byleth left her room unaware of something that has happened to her status card.

“ _The skill ‘Divine Pulse’ is learned_ ” 


	2. My new duty is to go to school?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah it is Jeralt that Jeralt.
> 
> Byleth in this world is much more child-like since the God erase all her experience as Byleth Eisner. Also it is the way Jeralt sees Byleth, most of the time since Byleth doesn't realize either.
> 
> Also I know that the chapter title is destroying my IQ.

“Special mission for me...? Sir Jeralt are you sure about this?” was Byleth’s response upon meeting with the Leader of Knights Order.

The Knight in front of her has been Byleth’s benefactor since the time she got into the protection of the order around 5 years ago his name is Sir Jeralt Mc Cuill. 

He is the leader of the Knight Order Nidhogg. From what Byleth learned, it is the Order that will move first when there is danger all across Mag Mell. For that reason this Order is also called as the Shield of Mag Mell. 

About Jeralt himself, she heard that his wife died during an epidemic few years before Byleth was saved by the Order. He has been faithful to her ever since despite not having any children yet, a little bit of anomaly to High Society. Of course there is the talk of adopting some noble son who is low in the line of succession but such talk was refused on the door.

It is believed that Jeralt’s family name would end in his generation.

Until Byleth come to be under the protection of Jeralt out of the blue.

“Yeah, you remember that the fiancé of the First Prince Dimitri and His Highness himself would be starting their school this Spring correct?” Jeralt responded with a grumpy tone.

Byleth blinked few times, her focus returned to the talk and responded with, “Yes… it is Lady Edelgard of the Four right?”

Edelgard Hamilton of Abercorn is the 1st daughter of Duke Abercorn who is one of the Four most influential Duke in Mag Mell. Abercorn Dukedom is smaller compared to the other three Dukedom in the list of the Four but it is the most advanced compared to other with the lowest rate of discrimination on the Demi Human. Byleth would often hear from the other Demi Human race who join the Order that if Byleth think about leaving the capital then the land of Abercorn is the most recommended, not that Byleth has a plan to move away.

Well, even if Edelgard is indeed the 1st daughter, she is actually the 3rd children of the Duke. The 1st one is the one who will inherit the land while the 2nd son is someone influential in the Academy of Danann, the school that Edelgard and Dimitri would attend at Spring. The school is the best school in Mag Mell filled with elite from head to toe. It isn’t just about the position of the student, the school would bring student from common birth or Demi Human who is really talented to join their rank.

Despite staying in the protection of the Order, Byleth actually isn’t an official member. For that reason, she never truly enter the Main Castle so the talk about what kind of person Edelgard would be only come from the Knight in the Order. And due to the Order mostly taking on monster or bandit the description become rather abstracts since the sense of value in the Order is based on Strength and Spirit. It is certainly not the value used to talk about a High Noble Lady.

Byleth do understand that Edelgard is pretty though and seems to be a good fit with the First Prince if rumor is to be believed.

Jeralt nodded at the question from Byleth. He then asked further, “That Young Miss seems to ask for you personally. Did you met her somewhere?”

Byleth tilted her head and wondered how to describe it to Jeralt.

If it is the question of ‘meeting’ or not then the answer is a flat ‘No’.

But if it is the other else… 

“I don’t think it is a meeting…” Byleth traced back as she admit that while it isn’t exactly a ‘meeting’, something else did happen.

Jeralt look at Byleth with face that inquire Byleth to tell him the full story. Byleth has no reason to refuse and she doesn’t think that it is anything to note about so she started her story with, “Lady Edelgard has been looking from distance during the Knights’ training. It used to be more scarce but lately it has been almost every week.”

Yes, watching.

Byleth’s contact with Edelgard is limited to her seeing the Lady watching the Knights’ on a training. Added by the fact that it is from distance in a Cat Sìth sense of distance, then those who actually realize could be counted with hands. Byleth think that there are few others who realized since there are Demi Human who train at the training ground as well.

Honestly, Byleth doesn’t know why Edelgard did that and doesn’t feel the need to inform Jeralt of it before. After all there is no rule that told her to report to Jeralt if some noble look at their training. But now she start thinking that maybe she should have reported at that time.

“… I see. So she watched from rather far or purposely hiding herself if you don’t report to me about it,” Jeralt folded his arms as he understand more about Byleth more than the girl realized it. 

Byleth look at Jeralt as her ears and tails moved happily.

“Yes… I don’t think that Lady Edelgard wanted to be found so I keep silent. But each time it is only for few minutes before Lady Edelgard left the vicinity. Maybe it is those time…” Byleth ended as she tried to hide her reaction at the way someone actually understood her.

She then took a seat and read through her so-called special order that is to be the personal guard for the two royalty.

‘ _Knowing that this world isn’t my home is weird but I’m glad Sir Jeralt do understand me… he did treat me like a kid and I guess I really am a kid here… yet it feels nice…_ ’ Byleth thought as she read on the detail of her order, trying to focus on her job.

* * *

Jeralt himself look at Byleth who is reading the content of her order as he felt how Byleth has grown.

He picked the Cat Sìth during one of his mission 5 years ago. 

Her village was burned by bandit and she is the sole survivor of it. At that time he found her hiding on the top of a tree in the forest nearby. He was surprised to see a cat-like girl clutching onto the tree while trembling. She look down at Jeralt with a sharp eyes filled with fear.

‘ _She was so small back then... I can’t believe it has been 5 years since at that time..._ ’ Jeralt thought as he watched Byleth flipping through the paper with her paw, a characteristic of any Cat Sìth.

At that time, seeing those fear-filled eyes stirred something inside Jeralt.

Byleth is inherently small compared to other kids. When she curled up on the tree she looked even smaller than her already small stature. At that time Jeralt has learned that all the villagers has been killed, at worst case she should bear witness to it.

When he got her to finally go down and ask about her identity, he learned that the girl should have lived through a living hell during the attack by bandit. Jeralt can’t help but want to protect her and he can’t bring himself letting her go to Orphanage. Not to mention that Byleth herself does has the talent.

While Byleth isn’t a heavy-hitter, Jeralt understood the moment he knew that she is a Cat Sìth, her speed is unmatched even by adult with A rank speed. It must be the reason she managed to outrun the bandit until the Knight Order arrived. Then her perfect memory also made sure that she is able to learn her lesson without ever forgetting it albeit it also come with a downside that Byleth would always remember the event that happened at her former village. 

2 years after he put her under his training, Byleth is capable of fighting against few knights at the same time in the early age of 12 years old under the same footing. The magician who is a part of Order also says that Byleth has a high aptitude in Wind, Light, and Dark element while weak on any other else. Byleth never used her Light and Dark magic since there is no place to use it so it is mostly Wind elemental that she used to boost her already insane speed. For that reason, many has called her the Sí Gaoithe of Nidhogg.

It honestly troubled Jeralt since most Knights treated Byleth as his adoptive daughter although it is never official. He felt that he already took Byleth's right for normal life as a girl but he just can’t let her go even if her position is weird right now. He has half the mind to adopt her into his family, but as a knight family who spend their life serving the royal family by generation, Jeralt doesn’t want to close Byleth’s future path even more. At the very least he wanted her to choose for herself.

Byleth already has her terrible luck to worry about. She doesn’t need to start worrying about being forced to be a Knight due to Mc Cuill family line.

Well, back to the topic if Edelgard ever watched Byleth’s performance in a fight, then it made sense. Their age also match so Byleth could get into the Academy with no trouble.

“I see… then she must have heard how you wipe the floor with the knight,” Jeralt mumbled as he nod at the conclusion he reached as to why Byleth is chosen as a personal guard.

Byleth, seemingly heard the mumbling, gazed toward Jeralt with tilted head. Jeralt can’t help but look at Byleth’s ear twitching and her tails sending signal that she wondered what Jeralt was thinking about.

Jeralt shook his head while smiling at those reaction and said, “Well, it is a good timing as well. You never attend school before right?”

“Yes...?” Byleth responded as she wondered why the sudden question.

Jeralt can’t help but smile at her rather pure reaction since it meant that Byleth hasn’t understood what he wanted to say yet.

“Think of it as a part of your education. You’ve turned 16 years old as well this autumn and you’re already a certified adult. It is the time for you to decide what to do with your future,” Jeralt added as he put another document for the school entrance exam and application.

Byleth looked at the paper and back to Jeralt. Something in her sparked as she heard the word ‘future’. Jeralt could see her tail swing left and right frantically. It must be hard for Byleth to choose when he only show her how to fight.

‘ _In a way it is like cheating her into choosing one path..._ ’ Jeralt thought as he watched Byleth reaction closely. She is clearly hesitating after all.

“But... no, thank you very much, Sir,” Byleth seems to want to say something but decided against it before she took the pen to sign for the admission.

Jeralt look at the paper and keep it before turning his mood to be an Order Leader instead of Byleth’s Guardian and say, “There are other guards in hiding as well, so you’re not exactly the only guard for His Highness and the Young Lady. Because you’re close to their age, you shouldn’t act like their guard and act as their friend. For that reason, in the school area, you’re permitted to act familiar with the two.”

Byleth acknowledge the order, knowing that there are other made her felt a bit better. Seeing her reaction, Jeralt continue, “Also, between your three forms, you should use the Human form and not the Cat Sìth or normal Cat form. Demi Human isn’t exactly minority but the amount still doesn’t reach half of the whole student. That is a part of manner and I’m sure you know about it as well.”

Byleth perked up at that. As a Cat Sìth, her default form is being a cat who stand on two feet. Of course she isn’t as small as the usual Cat but for human standard she still has petite form of around 120 cm. After living in the Order she learned to transform into an human form that, while not exactly tall either, is an improvement of her usual Cat Sìth look. Her last form is just a cat, precisely a black cat. Byleth last form looks like an adult Siamese Cat but black.

The common courtesy asked from Demi Human is that for them to take on human form when associating with human. It also differ them from normal monster because the usual monster has no ability to transform and doesn’t has intelligence in general. Jeralt is glad that Byleth learned to transform after entering the Order because if she remains unable to transform, there will be complication.

“I understand. Is there anything else?” Byleth responded as her tail move up and down.

Jeralt gaze moved toward the moving tail. Byleth would talk firm and proper but her tail is honest enough that Byleth also look forward to school. He kept his thought hidden and said, “Because of official reason, during your school time you are required to introduce yourself as Byleth Mc Cuill.”

Byleth’s ears twitched, “But that would meant...”

Jeralt shook his head, “No, I still give you freedom if you wanted to do anything else after your graduation. My family is a family of Knight. You’re a Cat Sìth who loves freedom more than anything. I don’t want to generalize all Cat Sìth but I want you to be free as well. But for administrative purpose I’m your guardian.”

Byleth’s ears twitched and her tails swings back and forth. Jeralt smiled at that, Byleth still act like a girl from time to time and he is thankful for that.

“For that reason, when you see Lady Edelgard again, you should have a talk with her. That’s all, you may leave now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While it isn't exactly my drawing (I made it from Picrew) this is the image of how Byleth Human-form actually looks like.
> 
> https://twitter.com/ringring966/status/1220354312611614720?s=09
> 
> I still look for a way to make how Byleth would looks like as a Cat Sìth.
> 
> In case anyone wondered, I mostly use Irish or Ireland myth for naming because my naming sense suck. I also change the race for the non-human race calling as Demi Human.


	3. First meeting with the First Prince

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri color is simply his eyes and hair switched. He doesn't change much.
> 
> Alois is the same although I didn't go into detail. His race is how I perceive him in the game. Big bear. Just imagine his Bear form as Grissly Bear but can talk.
> 
> Even for my usual fanfic where I love Claude so much, there isn't even a C in Claude yet for a long time. Of course he is the end game.

Byleth walked through the corridor of the Order’s barrack while thinking about the order she has got just now.

‘ _School… school… I don’t think I ever gone there even once but there is this nostalgic ring in it…_ ’ Byleth wondered as she think about the school that she need to enter.

But something is stirring inside her at the time she heard about ‘school’ and ‘choose her future’. It felt like something really important happened that even if she doesn’t remember it, her heart become uncomfortable.

She entered the changing room to change into training clothes as well as turning into her human form. Her full power is with her Cat Sìth form but since she’ll be a guard in human society then she should improve herself on that.

Byleth took a look at her status card, that is more like stone plate in appearance, to check how her change in form effect her status. After all the Transformation magic changes her racial features and spec to become closer to human.

* * *

Name: Byleth  
Race: Cat Sìth  
Level: 25  
HP: 3000/3000  
MP: 6000/6000  
Attack: C+  
Magic: B+  
Defense: C+  
Resistance: B-  
Speed: EX  
Luck: E  
Skill:  
"Perfect Memory EX"  
"Transformation B"  
"Wind Magic A"  
"Light Magic A"  
"Dark Magic A"  
"Elemental Resistance B"  
"Status Effect Resistance A"  
"Divine Pulse"

* * *

“Eh?” is the first thing that slip over Byleth’s lips at the time she realized a new skill that is added at the bottom list of her skill lineup.

Byleth do realize that her parameter went up and down due to her human form. But the weird skill gained her attention more.

“It doesn’t has rank...” Byleth mumbled as she stared at each letter.

Skill in this world, just like parameter, has their own rank based on strength. The stronger their skill is, then the rank would rise on its own. It also shows how high the aptitude of the skill owner and their skill is. Like there are a lot other who can use Wind Magic but not all of its caster capable of using high-tier spell, something like that.

So, for only this ‘Divine Pulse’ to not have any rank is an anomaly.

“What this skill do anyway...?” Byleth wondered as she tried to touch the words so maybe there will be some clue about what the skill would do in the description text.

Description text is a small, almost lazy, description of one skill that gets into status card. It would become detailed based on the skill study of the researcher but if it is new then it would only consist of one or two line.

So, Byleth tried to touch the words to find out about it. 

“Nothing come out...” Byleth is surprised at her finding.

Nothing come out. Not even a word out of the skill. To check that the description text actually worked, Byleth touch her other skill set.

“Perfect memory meant that if I were to put an information… it comes out normally. Wind magic… yeah, this too. Why...?” Byleth can’t help but let out her question away since all but the ‘Divine Pulse’ actually has their description.

Byleth traced the letters one by one. No matter how many time she tries it, nothing actually come out. 

At that time she is reminded about the God’s whimsical nature. This must be the work of that one. 

‘ _Then..._ ’ Byleth put down her card and close her eyes.

The only thing she need to do is just trying the skill. Even if she doesn’t exactly know how to do it, it is better than nothing.

‘ _Divine Pulse..._ ’ Byleth tried to think about the skill as she tried to activate it.

Byleth opened her eyes and to be honest, nothing actually happened. Her surrounding is still the same and nothing of importance actually happened. She can’t help but tilt her head at this. Did she made mistake somewhere?

“I should ask Sir Hanneman about this... maybe he would understand it more than me...” Byleth decided as she gave up on the matter of her new skill.

Byleth then took a hair brush and hair band. She comb her hair a bit and made a small braid over her left side. She wrapped it with ribbon that she got from Jeralt before going to training ground.

On her way to training ground, Byleth realized that there are more servants loitering around in the order than usual. The Order actually has its share of servant as well, but the servant right now is looking like they belong to the Castle.

‘ _The last time the Order is this crowded with servant..._ ’ Byleth pondered since it isn’t really common thing for this much guest to come over.

The crowd gets thicker as she gets closer to the training ground. Byleth swear that there are Castle Guard as well somewhere. She slipped through the people to get to the ground since she is sure that the reason is in the ground. She peeked through the gap between the knight since the center of ground is oddly open.

‘ _As I expected..._ ’ Byleth nodded at herself as she understand why there are more people than usual in the ground.

The last time this kind of thing happened is almost always because certain someone come to the Order.

A figure of blue and brown is seen trading blows in the center of the ground. The brown one is the Vice Leader of the Order, Sir Alois Mc Greine. If based on strength alone, he is only bested by Jeralt. Of course things might change if magic is being added in the mix. He is also a Demi human from the race called Nanook, some kind of bear-like beast tribe. 

The other figure is the reason why the Order is filled with people today. The First Prince of Mag Mell, his Highness Dimitri Elcmar Cormac. He has light blue hair with golden colored eyes. Byleth heard that he is calm and well-liked Prince in general, not that Byleth ever speak to him directly.

‘ _He is also the one I need to guard… but at the way it looks…_ ’ Byleth look at the fight between Alois and Dimitri.

Dimitri could certainly keep up with Alois. Sure that Alois can’t really use his full power to Dimitri, the opponent is the First Prince after all, but he isn’t really taking him lightly. Dimitri is so skilled that Byleth start questioning why he needed a visible guard around him in the first place.

‘ _Well, but for better or worse his Highness fighting is very knight-ly..._ ’ Byleth thought as she observed the exchange of blow.

If Byleth were to describe it, Dimitri’s fighting style is rather straightforward, a staple of Knight sword style. His attack mostly come from the swing of his swords and it consist of mostly charge, parry, and few blocking. He must have high strength to pull of such stunt against Alois whose pure strength is very high. It would sounds rude to actually say but if Byleth were to put an example of it, such fighting style is just like a Boar.

‘ _Boar_...?’ Byleth tilted her head since she felt like she ever heard of that term before.

But before Byleth is able to think about it deeper, her eyes met with Alois who clearly wave to her and signal her to come. Byleth blinked for few times, looking around for a bit, before nodding and approach him.

The boar thing could go later.

* * *

“Your Highness, aren’t you getting stronger again?” Alois questioned as he swung his training sword against Dimitri's.

Dimitri parried it away and said, “I still need to improve...!”

Alois laughed and said, “Your Highness if you get too strong we won’t have job anymore.”

Dimitri laughed at the joke and keep fighting Alois. One blow deflected and another was exchanged. As each blow were exchanged, the surrounding get more spirited although none of it actually reached Dimitri’s ears. It is common knowledge that Dimitri himself loves doing swordplay.

Alois looked forward to how Dimitri would grow years after this. It would be a matter of time until he got beaten by the First Prince.

His eyes then spotted Byleth in the spectator line. He remember that Jeralt has been worrying about the order from Castle to have Byleth be the guards for Dimitri and Edelgard during their Academy day. It isn’t like that they could refuse, but Jeralt still worry about Byleth. It is a general knowledge that Jeralt dotes on the Cat Sìth. Not to mention that she needs to stay on her human form as well so some of her parameter would change.

‘ _Well, it is a good timing..._ ’ Alois deflected Dimitri away and signaled a stop to the Prince.

Dimitri get the signal and stopped. He normalized his breathing and asked, “What’s wrong Sir Alois?”

Alois put down his weapon and look at Dimitri while saying, “Your Highness, how about we change your opponent?”

“Changing opponent?” Dimitri repeated as he doesn’t understand the point of changing opponent right now.

Alois laughed at that. At this point, Dimitri would be able to fight with all normal knight in the Order. Dimitri is taught by the head of the Order of Vedfolnir or commonly named as Sword of Mag Mell. The head, Rodrigue is both a strong knight and a knowledgeable one, a perfect tutor for the Prince. It would be harder to find someone who could stand against Dimitri right now.

“Well, there is someone who is a perfect fit for that role. She is a Demi Human like me as well and you can call it as big brother being proud of his little sister, but she really is strong. She has the worst luck after all!” Alois laughed while he looked straight at Byleth. His last part doesn’t sounds like a praise though.

Dimitri followed Alois’ eyes and saw Byleth seemingly not interested at the fight.

Dimitri doesn’t really remember on the Order having such young member in it. If there is one, there will be a huge uproar after all. If Dimitri were to rank each order based on their fighting power then Nidhogg would easily come as the top. The job of this Order revolves around keeping the country from monster and bandit after all. Since with such kind of mission, there come a high risk of death and the amount of mortality in the Nidhogg is considered the higjest. That is why the one alive for so long could be considered very strong compared to normal knight and it is hard to see someone young going in.

Dimitri looked at Byleth from up and down. Her ears are a firm prove that the girl is Demi Human. Since it looks like a cat ears Dimitri think she might be a Cat Sìth. And for all Dimitri knew, Cat Sìth isn’t exactly the fighting type.

Alois could feel Dimitri’s questioning eyes and said, “If I were you I won’t look down at her ability. Well, she is your future guard as well so I guess you better have some introduction.”

Dimitri quickly turned to Alois and said, “She is my guard?”

Alois laughed and nodded as he already called for Byleth to come to their direction. He then told Byleth to do a mock battle with Dimitri for a round. He realized the girl doesn’t make a good face but know that she will accept it.

“Sir Alois, is there a point of fighting with His Highness here?” Byleth questioned as she take a hold on the training sword that Alois used.

Alois laughed a bit at that before saying, “Well, I think you need a friend or two since there is rarely kids around your age here. Well, if we use your race actual age, you’re still a baby though!”

Byleth frowned at the mention of being called a child. Compared to Alois she is indeed smaller than the norm. If they were to be even more specific, Byleth’s exact category is a smaller cat after all.

“Well, just think of it as a good way to know how far you need to protect his Highness. It is a bit complicated but at that school even if they kept the nobility and commoner like us at the same level, there is this social barrier you know. His Highness position is like that so he looks rather unapproachable, it is rather bad for his position as future King. If it is with you I think he’ll loosen up,” Alois added with a small enough voice so it won’t reach the one he spoke about. 

“… I understand. I don’t think I’m fit for the job but I understand,” Byleth answered with a nod although she has a face that she doesn’t accept it all.

Alois laughed and told the two that he’ll be watching from sidelines. But as he watched the two prepare for the mock battle, Alois can’t help but think, ‘ _Even if it is his Highness the First Prince. I can’t just let it slide when he talk bad about our best future knight._ ’

Alois looked at Dimitri who is thinking about what he should do and turn to Byleth who seems to imagine how to finish it as soon as she can. Alois chuckled and fold his arm over his chest, ‘ _Just like that, beat him into pulp your big bro is on your side_.’ 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Age information for important characters and those that can still get counted. This is all in Human standard.
> 
> Byleth : 16 (around 6 y.o. in Cat Sìth standard)  
> Dimitri: 16   
> Edelgard: 16  
> Jeralt : 40  
> Alois : 75 (around 30 y.o. in Nanook standard)


	4. Mock 'Battle'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is chaos.

Byleth looked at her opponent few meters in front of her. It has been few moment since they start their mock battle but no one has made any first movement.

After all it is the first time they’ll exchange some blow.

Byleth also feels that Dimitri is looking at her like unknown enemy. He must be looking for a chance to put in a hit while seemingly aware of her being female.

‘ _It doesn’t feels good to be looked down like that… maybe I should start_ ,’ Byleth thought as she took a step forward with her sword ready.

Byleth wanted to avoid pushing her sword against Dimitri. She would lose on the matter of strength. But she doesn’t know how much her speed could cover for it. 

‘ _The only way to know is to try it...’_ Byleth dug her heels to the ground and dashed forward.

In no time she is right in front-above of Dimitri with her sword ready to land a hit to his shoulders.

… But in split second after she is about to hit him, Dimitri parried Byleth’s attack. 

Byleth clicked her tongue, as expected it won’t be that easy to hit him. She also mentally glad that she is using Alois' training sword right now since normal training sword would break with now.

Byleth obediently did a back flip and land upon her feet back to her starting point.

Dimitri look at Byleth with amazed look. Byleth sighed since that is just how cat moves. Her basic movement varies between jump and leap after all. Compared on moving across the ground, she is more fit to be on the sky.

Well, thanks to that Byleth knew about Dimitri’s reaction time. It isn’t that fast, but it isn’t slow either. But for a mock battle like this, Byleth doesn’t want to get too fast.

‘ _Well, this is a three set fight so I’ll just take the first point... Yeah, let’s just do that_ ,’ Byleth readied another one of her strike but with more preparation.

Maybe Dimitri felt that Byleth is going to come again and prepared himself to guard. Byleth thought that Dimitri is too kind for his own good. Seems like it is up to her to make the guy sees her as an equal.

Byleth took another leap toward Dimitri. Dimitri anticipated the same movement and precisely blocked her attack. But...

‘ _Too naïve_ ,’ Byleth thought in a split moment.

Byleth used the force from the clash to prop her self past Dimitri. She landed behind him and before Dimitri realized her movement, Byleth swing her sword lowly at Dimitri’s side, gaining a clean hit.

“1 point for me Your Highness,” Byleth said in low voice as she is crouching on the ground to make a low swipe.

“...” no words coming from Dimitri.

Byleth stood up from her position as her ears picked up Alois’ laughter from sidelines. Byleth sent him a frown since this must be the objectives of that man since the start. Well, since she is already in the prank then she better make use of it.

“Your Highness, may I say something rude?” Byleth turned to Dimitri again as she prepare herself for another round.

Dimitri looks surprised for a moment before he responded with, “Yeah, I allow you.” 

Byleth feels conflicted at this response. Well, she better told him about that answer later on since they are on a fight. Even if Byleth isn’t a part of the Order, Dimitri is still a Royalty. It would be a problem if a King is too kind like this.

“Thank you very much. Then, let me give your Highness a pointer on a fight,” Byleth readied another strike toward Dimitri.

Honestly, Byleth thinks that she is a bit on the above side of this battle. Dimitri relies a lot on his strength to push his foe. But Byleth is hitting him before he managed to strike back. Their fighting style could be simplified to light but fast versus heavy but slow. For Byleth to win, she needed the stamina and reflect, for Dimitri to win, he needed to cut her wave of attack.

Yet at this point it would be hard for Dimitri to read her movement. Byleth’s sword-style is hard to find in the castle after all. Dimitri isn’t used to such kind of fight.

And Alois knew perfectly about that.

‘ _Sometimes Sir Alois is really mean..._ ’ Byleth thought as she increase her speed to meet with Dimitri’s sword once again.

Her eyes return to Dimitri as she continued her sentence to the Prince, “Your Highness, when you fight against an unknown force, it isn’t good to make assumptions on the foe’s ability. It’ll give the opponent the opening they needed.”

Dimitri look at Byleth for a bit and his face turned red for a brief moment. Byleth frowned at the reaction since such reaction must have been natural for Dimitri to take. Byleth start thinking that maybe she should win all the set to put her mind at ease.

Well, it does clear up a reason why Dimitri needed someone as a guard. He has too much opening for a Prince.

“Thank you for the pointer… I know it is late but may I know your name?” Dimitri responded as he seems to ready himself to take on Byleth.

“My name is Byleth, your Highness. Just Byleth.”

* * *

After that Byleth and Dimitri fought few more set that the training ground is monopolized by them. With each fight Dimitri managed to hold against Byleth longer and his reaction time become shorter and better that Byleth gets a little bit bothered with it.

Not to mention that taking on Dimitri’s hit is actually hurt. She only managed to last so long because it is never a clean hit.

‘ _But his Highness looks like he is having fun_...’ Byleth thought as she took distance from Dimitri after the guy coming to send her to some rhetorical wall. Not that she will let him do it.

Dimitri looked much more spirited than when he is fighting with Alois. Well, Byleth could understand since Alois is just so tough it isn’t even funny.

‘ _Maybe it is because my fighting style is much more flexible? No, but… I guess it really is fun.._.’ Byleth can’t help but think since Dimitri looks much happier when Byleth dodged his attack.

Dimitri is bigger than Byleth who is smaller compared to him. But at the same time Byleth can’t deny that there is something close between the two of them. Maybe it is because of their closeness in age. Byleth doesn’t remember ever playing with kids around her age either.

‘ _Back in the village I’m always with my parents… if there are other kids, they would just throw stone or things to me… yeah, that isn’t a game at all_ ,’ Byleth remembering her former village that isn’t open to the Demi Human for some reason. It is unpleasant memory but it is something that she will always remember.

Byleth can’t help but smile at the thought of ‘game’. She heard a lot of things from the other knight and the servant in Order about playing but don’t have the chance because she has no one to do it. Everyone else around her is all adult after all.

‘ _The mission detail also asked me to be a close friend of His Highness… is this how it feels to be a friend...?_ ’ Byleth wondered even more as she slipped away from Dimitri who swung his sword toward her.

The sword leave some crack on the ground.

‘... _Is this how people normally play?_ ’ Byleth can’t help but think since she know she would go straight to infirmary if she tried to take that one.

Dimitri looks like he is having fun though.

“Your Highness, I’ll be thankful if you do not get me to infirmary!” Byleth said as she tried to sneak in an attack but got blocked by Dimitri who swung his sword with full power toward her.

“Then how about you get hit nicely instead? You say that I shouldn’t look down on my opponent after all,” Dimitri responded as he pushed Byleth few meters away from his position.

Byleth wanted to let out a protest at that. She did say that. She totally says that.

But...

“Not to the point of making me go to infirmary! If I got hit with that one, I’ll broke my bones!!” Byleth responded with a protest as she use the sword as support.

Her stamina is decreasing and she know she can’t went faster at this rate to dodge Dimitri’s attack. But if she got hit then it is to infirmary she goes. It surely is something to think about.

“Ah, I apologize for that but if I don’t do that I don’t think I can win against you. Your sword has an interesting movement after all,” Dimitri responded as he made a dry smile.

“How about admitting your lose then?”

“I don’t want to do that.”

Byleth let out a growl in protest.

Dimitri tilted his head and asked, “Then how about you admit your lose instead?”

Byleth frowned and kicked the ground, “I still hit you more than you did.”

Dimitri shrugged and says, “See?”

Byleth hissed at that. None of them wanted to admit their loss. Dimitri already took point from Byleth and he is planning to do so again.

If Byleth really want to win she could just use some other technique but she doesn’t want to show everything at this one fight.

But she doesn’t want to lose either...

“Then Your Highness how about we end this with one last strike? It is a good time we put this on an end,” Byleth offered since they are on stalemate on not wanting to lose to each other.

Dimitri’s face brighten up. With a refreshing smile he says, “Then I’ll do my best to put a hit on you, Byleth.”

Byleth mentally comment that the hit is the last thing she wanted to get on this training. It looks like it would hurt a lot if she got hit for real with that thing. If it was a real sword then her body would be cut into two.

‘ _But I wonder why..._ ’ Byleth gazed at Dimitri.

She felt like she wanted to see him smile like this in the longest time.

Of course she is pissed at being looked down on the start and she doesn’t want to lose on him. There is a feeling of them being on the same age as well mixed in it. The training also felt like (very dangerous) playing.

Yet his smile right now looks like something else differently.

‘ _The God whim is there… the Divine Pulse stuff is also around and now this… that God must have felt really entertained right now...’_ Byleth thoughts wandered as Dimitri’s smile felt like it is similar to the time she met with the God.

“Then, Byleth shall we start?” Dimitri asked as he prepared for his attack.

Byleth wanted to tell Dimitri to put a brake on his power but decided to be against it. There are a lot of happening today and it would be nice to clear her head out with a win. Also it is bad to ask someone who can’t control their ability to try to keep it on check, it is bad for body. 

“Anytime you’re ready to start Your Highness. Do your worse!”

At least at this moment Byleth managed to forget about her past life shenanigan.

* * *

_“Interesting… it really is interesting.”_

_“I won’t have imagined her to break free from my seal on such a short time.”_

_“But I guess that is also your bad luck, little one. I put your other half far away from you after all. If I use the other world story then it is like how the God separate Adam and Eve far away from each other on the Earth after they are kicked away from Heaven.”_

_“Well, she has taken the forbidden fruit after all, that foolish Eve. But that is what made it even more interesting.”_

_“But I wonder how long it’ll take for that Adam to get to his wife. That man is something else as well, he will be a good spice for this world.”_

_“Love is the purest, deepest, and most interesting part of humanity. That is the seed of chaos and balance.”_

_“Show me this world’s fate dearest Byleth. How you would finish your Worlds Love’s story? I’m looking forward to it.”_

_‘You really have bad personality for a God.’_

_“You have a bad personality as well for giving her something from outside, another world’s Goddess.”_

_‘That thing is hers after all. I just return it to her.’_

_“Let's keep it at that then. So, what is your bet?”_

_‘Don't involve me in your game. But well, I’m sure it would only take less than 5 years.’_

_“On what base?”_

_A smile is formed._

_‘I don’t need a base. That man won’t be able to live out without that girl more than 5 years.’_


	5. Side-story: One Old Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is very short for my standard.

This is a story few years from that night.

A lonely old man visit a grave.

It is the grave of the one he loves for long, long years.

Even if his beloved is now sleeping under the earth, his love hasn’t ended.

If he dared to say, it only grows stronger with time.

“I come for you… it has gotten harder to reach this place lately...” he said with hoarse voice.

No one answered for his words. Even those who helped him reach the graves have left him to his privacy.

The old man merely gaze at the grave like he is looking at the most precious treasure in the world, more beautiful than any gem or jewel.

“I will never forget you... I will always believe...” he would whisper.

He has always the one who wait for her. It is just another one of those case.

Even if his love has departed earlier, he doesn’t shed any tears at all.

After all, his tears has been used when he is holding their children during birth.

That’s why he wait for it.

Just like that time.

“But if I were to wish...”

The old man close his eyes.

If god do exist in this world.

Next time he wanted to be able to run to her side.

He doesn’t want to hold on a promise of meeting again at one place.

After all he has vowed to her in front of his people.

They will always be together in life and even in death. 

The old man put his weigh on his cane.

Later on, a young man come to pick up the old man.

But the old man has fallen into deep slumber, dreaming of his love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my head this story is an otome game.


	6. People shouldn't be seen from their cover

“That was a great fight you two.”

Byleth looked up to see a girl approaching with Alois behind her. Byleth recognize her instantly, it is harder not to.

She has straight long honey blonde hair that is left just like that. Her face has a childish charm on it but at the same time has the same calmness of an adult. Her way of walking and present herself is like the staple noble lady.

At first she might look plain but her light violet eyes show some radiance that doesn’t lose to any jewel. Not that Byleth know a lot of jewel in the first place.

“Edelgard!” Dimitri turned around with a spirited look despite his messed up appearance.

Edelgard smiled sweetly as well to Dimitri and Byleth felt more than one signal in it.

‘ _Well, the Queen candidates isn’t taken out of love after all? No, those two seems to care about each other at the very least so maybe it is okay?_ ’ Byleth can’t help but think as she let the two exchange greeting.

“You get beaten up quite nicely.”

“Ahahaha, so you saw...”

Byleth nodded to herself at hearing their exchange. At the very least they’re not in a bad relationship. If the two is in a bad relationship, Byleth will be in a problem.

‘ _But it is a good chance as well..._ ’ Byleth think as she is reminded about how this Edelgard is one of the people she need to protect.

Byleth cross her arms as she look at Edelgard. The girl is no fighter, that is for sure. But Byleth could see that her arms aren’t exactly thin like twigs. Her palms are covered with gloves though so Byleth can’t see if she ever touched weapon before. It does looks like she has some training on how to protect herself to certain degree.

‘ _She is the one who asked for me directly. That is also a curious thing..._ ’ Byleth can’t help but think about the reason why she is chosen as guard.

Byleth doesn’t really put an application to be a guard in the first place nor that Jeralt would let her do it. Jeralt always wanted her to have freedom on choosing her future career and Byleth is thankful for it. But her current position is mostly in Nidhogg. In the mission that Nidhogg take, Byleth's job is mostly to lure out monster while dodging their attack and her own bad luck stats. If Byleth were to use a term the Order used, she is basically an Dodge Tanker despite her average defense.

So, even if she has the experience of a hunter and dodge tanker, she is no Royal Guard. Not to mention that she has zero backing. Some Knights in Nidhogg are Noble, Jeralt is also one, but Byleth isn't the member of any.

' _Weird people..._ ' Byleth can't help but think although it is rude.

After Edelgard and Dimitri finished talking to each other, they turned to Byleth.

Byleth knew that just now the condition has changed in regard to their position. Now that the training is finished, Byleth would need to do the actual protocol right now.

The one in front of her is the future King and Queen after all.

Byleth took her weapon down and kneeled in front of the two with her head looking at the ground. If it is in the castle their distance would be further apart but the training ground is no place for that so Byleth just did the greeting on the spot. With a firm voice she says, “It is an honor to be able to stand in front of you two, your Highness Dimitri the First Prince of Mag Mell and lady Edelgard of Abercorn. My name is Byleth, just an orphan in the service of your grace.”

“Yeah, get up from the ground and lift your head. I, the First Prince give the right for it,” Dimitri’s tone certainly changed from when he talks with Byleth during the training.

“Thank you very much, your Highness. It is the greatest honor,” Byleth responded as she took her training sword and look at the two royalty once more.

“Dimitri, since you’re done with the training for today, how about we take some rest nearby? Byleth, you’re coming with us,” Edelgard says as she took her spot beside Dimitri.

“That is a good idea Edelgard. Byleth follow us,” Dimitri seems to understand the meaning behind Edelgard’s words and ordered Byleth to guard them.

Byleth also understand that she has no right to refuse them. Even if it is outside her mission, it is still an order from royalty. So, she bowed and says, “I understand.”

* * *

Edelgard brought the three into one of the Royal Castle many flower garden. In the place where the view looks the best, a set of table and chair is put on around with a maid already waiting for them there.

Dimitri pulled a chair for Edelgard before he get on his seat like it is normal. Edelgard then poured him a tea as well.

Byleth starts wondering why she needed to be here as she mentally count the ‘ _other_ ’ guards in hiding.

There are a good amount of them hiding around so if it isn’t really strong, they won’t have an uninvited guest that actually reach the two. Even if there are one, those guest would be in tatters that even Byleth could handle. Her priority is bringing the Royal to safety though.

“As expected of Sir Jeralt’s future successors. You realized about our guards right?” Edelgard said out of the blue.

Byleth blinked at the remark. Edelgard giggled as if signaling that she knows. Byleth is glad that at least Edelgard can actually think.

“El...” Dimitri seems to be rather hesitant although for some reason, Byleth realize, he has changed from calling 'Edelgard' into a shorter 'El'.

Byleth want to comment that Dimitri is being rather gullible by being casual in front of her. But she hold it since it might be treated as a treason. At least the servant who is still here would start a rumor.

“Don’t worry Dimitri. I know about her more than you think. If anything she won’t betray us,” Edelgard responded before sipping her tea.

 _'On what basis? We only meet today you know!'_ Byleth wanted to ask that although she knew it would be rude to actually voice it out.

“Well, if you say so...” Dimitri pulled back as it looks like the two really trust each other.

Byleth is now in a complicated emotion. It is better than being doubted but is it really okay for the two to accept her that easily? If they talk about position and all, Byleth is an orphan and has no clear background. She is only here because Jeralt is looking after her instead of putting her to orphanage.

She felt like even her past self also want to question their decision.

“Then how about you join us in this tea time Byleth? I already prepared your share~” Edelgard smiles widened in a defenseless expression.

Her head hurts, protecting Edelgard seems to be harder than it looks.

“With utmost respect, Milady...” Byleth wanted to refuse. Something in her mind signal her to refuse.

“It is okay to call me El in this kind of place,” Edelgard cut Byleth words before it even formed.

Byleth want to go home right now. Also, she take back her words about Edelgard, handling Dimitri sounds much better right now.

She looked at Dimitri for help but the guy just says, “If El wanted it like that then it is no problem right? We’re all the same age after all.”

There is a big problem in here and the Prince doesn't realize. Byleth seriously considered refusing the order and then cross the border or something.

Byleth glanced at the maid who stand still behind Edelgard. Her eyes are closed meaning that whatever happening here is outside the court. In other name, she won't bail Byleth out from this condition.

Byleth clicked her tongue mentally at that reply, ' _Okay sure I'll do it myself.'_

“Your Highness… I can’t possibly do that. Even if we’re of the same age, I’m nobody in this castle,” Byleth is trying to convince the two that she is in no way close to them.

Edelgard tilted her head to the side cutely. Even if her request is impossible, Byleth still admit that Edelgard is pretty. Each one of her movement shows how she is a daughter of big noble even if she is being ridiculous.

Her request is still impossible though.

“Then is if okay if you could become someone important in the castle? How about it Dimitri, can you arrange something?” Edelgard questioned as she give Dimitri a bright smile.

‘ _Please listen to me!!_!’ Byleth shouted in her head.

“Right… I learn a lot in our sparing just now. I also want to spar some more! But as expected it would be hard to give a title to those around our age...” Dimitri’s comment isn’t helping at all. 

“Even if she is our personal guard? I do push the request by force though…” Edelgard seems to seriously think about making Byleth have a concrete position in the castle.

“It can’t be right away at any rate. Honestly I don’t want to force Byleth to obey us every time. You did say that you want to be closer personally with her right, El?” Dimitri responded with a smile toward Edelgard.

Byleth is having a massive headache right now. She doesn’t want to pray to the God that is surely won’t hear her prayer in that regard but she doesn’t want to be here right now.

Edelgard pulled back and says, “Right we could become closer during our Academy days. In that place even commoner are allowed to speak freely with the Royalty.”

“Milady...” Byleth wanted to protest right now but tried hard to not actually finish it.

“Don’t worry, I’m just happy that we get to be close like this. I guess I’m getting impatient,” Edelgard responded with a dry laughter.

‘ _What does that mean?_ ’ the question appeared inside Byleth’s head at that moment.

Edelgard is being weird. For all Byleth knows, and she never forget, this is their first official meeting…

… _Right_?

Just as the thought passed by in her hear Dimitri said, “El has been wanting to talk to you for long. Our position is like this so we can’t really have heart-to-heart talk with other noble. El’s home is also the place where Demi Human is being accepted so she is kinder to Demi Human than other.”

Byleth looked at Dimitri and then to Edelgard who nodded at it. Her smile is genuine.

Demi Human is still being looked down in this country. After all the variation is countless and depending on the race, there might be some who have lived for hundred of years. This is what is called as species distance and there are place that felt it strongly.

Abercorn is the safest area for Demi Human. People from there would open their door at harmless Demi Human the first compared to other. Edelgard is a lady from that land so she must have been told to keep respecting the other race.

‘ _But is it really just that...?_ ’ Byleth can’t help but think as she felt something else in entirety.

Dimitri and Edelgard then stopped bothering Byleth with their ridiculous request and spent their time talking about their days. But Byleth know none of them has given up on making their relationship more casual than just royalty and their subject. 

Normally, Byleth should be happy about it since it is an honor for someone like her to be close with the Royalty but something inside her tell her that it isn’t a wise move. So, Byleth gladly take her chance to leave when the two dismissed her to return to the Order.

“There will be a talk in regard on being guard in another day. We shall meet again at that time,” Edelgard says with a beautiful smile on her face.

“I don’t really care about our guard before. But since it is Byleth, I’m starting to look forward to Spring,” Dimitri added with a calming smile as well toward Byleth.

“That is an honor...” Byleth could only answer as she then left the two Royal who returned back to the Main Castle area.

* * *

After the two left completely, Byleth turned her form into her Cat Sìth one and escape. For some reason she felt really strange right now. Her chest is beating loudly.

“ _Hot_...” Byleth can’t help but mumble as she run toward the direction of the Order’s place.

She tripped on her own feet and fall toward the ground. The sensation still hasn’t stopped at all. It is hard to breathe.

Why?

What happened?

Numerous question come and goes inside Byleth’s head as she tried to wake up.

Her body felt heavy. Even if she is someone with the lowest luck to ever exist, it is never to this extension.

Byleth looked upward, the Order is still a good distance away. It would be bad if someone were to saw her groveling on the ground like this in pain. If Jeralt were to know about this...

‘ _He’ll get worried a lot..._ ’ Byleth took deep breathe and let it go although it did nothing to ease her condition right now.

Byleth looked around and decided to rest to some shades under the trees behind bushes nearby. She has half the mind to change completely into a cat but she didn’t want to be mistaken as wild cat getting into Castle.

‘ _Just a bit… right, just a bit..._ ’ Byleth made an excuse in her mind as she promised to return when she felt better before closing her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone loves Byleth for more than one reason
> 
> Mag Mell is relatively peaceful country, in fact the world is too peaceful for the God's liking. Well, the base is Otome-game after all.


	7. Inside a dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still haven't wrote the 'C' in Claude at all and I don't think there will be the C anytime soon

Byleth’s consciousness is drifting in the border of wake and dream.

In this place devoid of anything else, she could feels the gentle wind passing her. It feels nice compared to the heat of her heart just now. In fact her chest felt much lighter now as she enjoys the breeze.

It felt like what just happened is all a lie.

It also made Byleth want to stay here for a bit longer.

‘ _You’re really hopeless without me aren’t you?_ ’ Byleth hears a voice. 

It is supposed to be alien for her yet at the same time it sounds so familiar.

_Who_? Byleth can’t help but think.

There is no one who answer to her question. 

Byleth waited for a bit but seeing that the voice doesn’t continue, she opened her eyelids.

The first color that enter her eyes are never ending vibrant green.

It doesn’t look like the area around the castle at all.

‘ _Ah, right… this is..._ ’ a dream.

Byleth think that she must have gone deep into her mind when she close her mind. She has half the mind to apologize to Jeralt later if he looks for her since it isn’t like she will wake up anytime soon. She should think about some excuse to tell Jeralt that doesn’t involve telling him that she felt sick.

Byleth curled up and close her eyes once more, feeling the gentle touch of the wind on her cheek. 

‘ _This place is really comfortable..._ ’ for once in this weird one day, her mind found peace.

But she then realized that there is something wrong right now. It still feels comfortable but it felt like she is sleeping on something. Byleth opened her eyes once more, noticing that this time there is a pair of feet under her head. Also, her hand is one of human.

‘ _Did I change into human in my unconsciousness… wait, that’s not it!_ ’ Byleth can’t help but think since her hand is one of human's, not a paw like her Cat Sìth form. But she quickly scold herself as there is something else more important than her human hand. 

There is a pair of feet under Byleth's head. 

The fact she turned into human surprised her of course but she is supposed to take much problem in her position right now. This is her dream, this is supposed to be one at least. But for some reason someone else exist in her dream.

“You shouldn’t move too much, you must be tired...” another voice come directly from above her.

Byleth wanted to turn around but a pair of warm hands hold her head in place. It felt a bit rough but the touch felt pleasant. Byleth could feel her heart getting full at the touch. 

‘ _Ah, I know this hand..._ ’ Byleth can’t help but think.  
She know. She recognize this touch the moment she feels it.

‘ _But_...’ Byleth felt her eyes getting hot with tears.

“I can’t remember...” the words rolled out of Byleth’s lips naturally as that is the first thing that she could think of.

She can’t remember. 

She knows about the sensation over her head. But try as hard as she could, she can’t remember about who owns this hands at all. It clearly doesn’t feels like Jeralt or Alois or anyone she ever met before.

“There is no need to force yourself to remember though,” the voice above her said in gentle tone.

Byleth felt her cheeks getting wet. She doesn’t understand it but she wanted to cry right now. She knows that it is just a dream and yet...

“Even if I could feel it that you’re really important...?” Byleth replied as she can’t stop herself for being emotional.

Byleth can’t understand at all. She is supposed to have lived in her current place for 16 years at least. She felt something in her current place. Jeralt and the Order is being very kind to her.

They’re all so kind to her like a family and yet...

“It feels like the place I live at become a foreign place. It is weird… how I lived my life again? Why I wanted to search for my past life this much? I can’t go back to Fódlan and yet I can’t let go, this place isn’t my home... I want to go home...” the words come out like a broken dam.

“...” the voice doesn’t comment anything and merely stroke her head kindly.

“Am I supposed to be a crybaby like this? No, my tears have stopped flowing since Sir Jeralt saved me. But your touch… just being like this made me unable to stop crying... Although I don’t know about you… I don’t remember you at all and yet... my chest hurts...” Byleth sobbed as she gripped on the feet that become her pillow.

She doesn’t understand a thing at all about this condition. Whether it is about herself, the other person with her right now, even her own memories.

But she know that this person with her right now is really important. This person is the first one that come in her mind when the God said that it will erase all her memories of her past life. 

No matter what happened she doesn’t want to forget about this person.

This person is really important, precious, her whole life...

… Her soul’s other half.

Even so she still forgets. The God has made her forget about it.

Even if it is really important.

Even if her soul right now ache so much for this person.

“My luck is really bad...” Byleth murmured as she gazed at the greeneries around her.

Why she is being warped up in the whim of some god?

Why she need to get wrapped up in such an unfair condition?

Her soul would have been satisfied if she just wait for her most precious person in the after-life.

This is all really unfair.

As Byleth murmured that, a hand covered her eyes. 

Everything around her become dark and her chest ache once more.

Byleth felt fear that she would be betrayed even by her dream.

‘ _Is there no way out even in a dream..._ ’ the whisper of doubt start creeping inside her mind.

Before Byleth could say anything, she heard a response, “… Yeah, I understand. Everything is clear now.”

Byleth put her hand over the hand that cover her eyes. She could feel the warmth in it and how it really is alive despite how they're supposed to be inside a dream. Her tears and heartache stopped when she could feel the life in those hands.

But what is there to 'understand'?

More importantly, why this figure in her dream can talk back to her like they’re holding a conversation?

Byleth doesn’t understand...

“What do you understand?” so Byleth asked since she can’t follow what just happened.

The hand covering her eyes doesn’t move, not that Byleth hated it. Then the person answered, “I understand that I don’t understand what happened. But you’re crying so I must go to meet you soon.”

Meet you soon. The words echoes inside Byleth’s mind and fill her heart with a warm feeling.

Yet Byleth can’t help but question, “But… but how...?”

“No idea actually. I don’t know where you’re right now after all. There are a lot of things that I must find out first so it won’t be easy,” come an answer that isn’t exactly reassuring.

“...” Byleth is at loss of words.

“Well, talking with you have proven that I’m not wrong. There are a lot of things to think about but I know I’ll find you and you’ll find me eventually,” the voice added with strong conviction.

The tone is light like wind and normally Byleth won't believe in such lip only promise. But for some reason Byleth could see the sincerity in it.

“It doesn’t help at all. What if we never met?” Byleth responded as she put more strength on her hold.

They are going against God this time.

“We’ll meet again for sure. Believe and wait for me, I’ll come to pick you up,” the voice responded in confident tone.

Believe. Byleth’s mind replayed the words.

The concept felt foreign but for some reason she could accept it. Even if there is no base that it will come true.

“But your memories got erased too right?” Byleth asked although it sounds like a clarification than a question.

The God said that having memories of past life since the start would be cheating. But they can remember if it is important until it is carved into their soul.

So, there is no way this person remember everything about her as well... 

“Yeah, seems like it. To be honest I have no idea how you looked like. But I know you’re very important,” come the answer that doesn’t help to assure Byleth. 

Byleth felt some pull in her chest. This person also care for her it is carved into the soul.

“Can you really find me?” Byleth questioned again.

Her head and chest feel a bit lighter but she needed to make sure of it.

“Yeah, after all I know that you’re very important for me. If I can’t find you then I’m the worst for making someone this important crying because of me,” come the answer that is followed with a melodic laughter.

Byleth can’t help but laugh at it as well. For some reason those little promise is actually real.

Then her mind start to feel heavy. Even without anyone telling her, she knew for sure what happened. It is time for goodbye.

“I’ll wait…” Byleth said with weak voice.

“I’m coming for you. So, you should do whatever while waiting,” the voice responded with a gentle tone.

Byleth can’t help but smile at it. She then said, “This is a wonderful dream...”

The hand covering her eyes flinched.

Byleth wondered what happened when the voice said in soft tone. 

“This isn’t a dream… I think our soul just call for each other and got connected on its own,” the voice responded with a chuckle.

“That...” Byleth is no magic user but even she know that there is no magic for meeting each other through dream.

But after she remember about the anomaly in her skill, seems like there is more to the making of this world. 

The voice seems to not deny the possibility. But then it would make this meeting...

“I see... the God is mean but I’m glad for this miracle...”

… This is something close to miracle.

“Miracle… it felt like a lot of those would happen in near future,” the voice responded.

“No, no... no way...?” Byleth mind is reminded of the God who would laugh at very unexpected timing.

If it is interesting then a miracle might just happen again...

The voice chuckled and said with gentle voice, “Then see you again...”

Byleth felt her consciousness falling slowly as she nodded back, “Yeah, see you again...”

There is no base that there will be another chance of meeting but Byleth believe that the exchange isn’t just her dream.

Even a dream seems like a reality with her other half.

And with that she return to reality.

* * *

_[Hey, Goddess from another world! What are you doing in my world again!!!!]_

_❨I do nothing at all. I’m just helping the soul that you take from mine❩_

_[I already made a very good system and you add another part of it!]_

_❨As long as it interest you it won’t be a problem right?❩_

_[Not really… well if it really is interesting that is]_

_❨But well, I just hasten the inevitable. Even if you’re the God of this world, their bond is stronger than your influence to this world❩_

_[That is what I’m looking for though… I even made a special adaptation from the other world’s God]_

_❨You sure don’t care about the fate of your creation❩_

_[I know them like I know myself. That is why I put my new creation over]_

_❨I see. What is it?❩_

_[This is the beast that herald the coming of Fimbulvetr. Its name is the Worm, Hartmut. Of course it won’t be fair if I let it go now so I’ll let the humanity to break the seal on its own]_

_❨If you’re not careful then the world will end❩_

_[Testing the limit of its creation is the special merit of being its creator, Goddess from another world]_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The staple of any JRPG or Fantasy Otome game
> 
> Have some dark fallen last boss to kick at the end.
> 
> And yeah, the God made the thing 100% to get unsealed and went on a rampage


	8. A fairly normal day

Few weeks has passed since Byleth last saw the dream.

Nothing to note in regard to that person or her former life as well. In a way, it is good that it is peaceful.

‘ _Ah but there is one new stuff..._ ’ Byleth took out her status card and look at it again.

* * *

Name: Byleth  
Race: Cat Sìth  
Title: “Soul from Other World”  
Level: 26  
HP: 3100/3100  
MP: 6500/6500  
Attack: B  
Magic: A  
Defense: B  
Resistance: B  
Speed: EX  
Luck: E  
Skill:  
"Perfect Memory EX"  
"Transformation B"  
"Wind Magic A"  
"Light Magic A"  
"Dark Magic A"  
"Elemental Resistance B"  
"Status Effect Resistance A"  
"Soul Resonation"   
"Divine Pulse"

* * *

Few days after she that dream, the whole world is being shaken by the addition of a new line called 'Title'.

Status card is something regarded as the most private information and shouldn’t be put on public easily. But there are those that for the sake of science opened their status card for public. It is usually people from Academy.

“Thanks to this I can’t ask Sir Hanneman on what is this Divine Pulse stuff is… not to mention there is a new skill there...” Byleth mumbled as she look at the increasing weird skill in her card.

Her title is a clear instance that she is coming from another world. For that reason alone she got more aware of the fact that she is someone originating from Fódlan. Especially when she reads the description of her title.

Each 'Title' also have a short description in it that no one has yet know who write it. The general opinion is that it is the God who gave it at least as a starter. But there are those who gained a title when there are enough people calling one person as it. The description is of course based on what the mass call for that person.

For Byleth’s current title it was the former. Or rather she can’t think of someone other than the God, whom lately she thinks as some being who have too much free time, who write the description. The description is also fairly short not to mention rather annoying.

Byleth’s description is written as ‘Soul taken from another world to bring chaos into world’. The way it is written made her sounds like an evil being that Byleth seriously considering if her bad luck stat somehow affecting the God’s mind or something. Sometimes she wanted to tell the Church that their so-called God is just something that loves to mess out for the sake of it. 

“Really, what a God with bad hobby...” Byleth complained as she put her status card away and checking the stock of the Order. 

Now that it entered Autumn, the time to go North for annual Winter expedition is coming closer. Byleth quickly change the topic inside her mind.

After all Byleth has no plan to actually follow through whatever hobby that the God have.

Not at all.

At most she wanted to hurry up and meet with the other half of her soul. Just thinking about that person made her chest beats louder and she felt embarrassed for it. Not to mention she knew exactly why she is embarrassed.

After all she could still feel the warmth of that touch over her eyes and face! 

Her heart even react this much! 

Even if she can vouch that she has next to no experience in romance!

Not to mention Byleth know next to nothing about this person!

‘ _No, no, no, stop thinking about that Byleth! You’re not a cat in heat or anything! Keep your head calm_!’ Byleth shouted to herself as she covered her face with her hands.

Byleth could feel the heat radiating on her face even with her hands.

Byleth have long admitted that she fall in love already.

Even if she know next to nothing about this person. Yes, next to nothing.

All she has to rely is the warmth covering her eyes and that promise.

If Byleth were to tell anyone about this, she is sure that 100 people out of 100 would say she is having hallucination.

It is obviously a hallucination after all! It only makes sense to Byleth who have the God itself messing with her life for some laugh. Normal people won't believe in it.

“Father, Mother, right now I hope you two survived that time and tell me what to do now...” Byleth frustratingly mumbled as she reminded about how if her parents were around she would have someone to consult at.

Even if the partner is someone that she met once in her dream that is.

But her last memories of them revived clearly like it happened again in front of her. Her parents leading her into the basement and telling her to follow the hidden road and hide until it is safe. They are both black cat like her as well and the villagers hated their family for that reason. They were very kind and caring parents that Byleth cares deeply.

At that time she follows the instruction and leave from the village toward the forest. But then she saw the fire burning the village and run back. Human from the village lie down on the side road with blood oozing below like when her Father kill wild boar for their dinner. She felt weird at that time because she isn’t that shaken when seeing wild boar deaths.

She then run toward her house since she is worried about her parents. She fears that her parents are lying on the floor with blood oozing out of them as well.

What awaits her is pure horror...

Byleth took deep breath and willed herself to put the memories away deep inside her mind. She shouldn’t try to remember about that. Even if she remember she shouldn’t look at that memories.

Just that memories. That memories is something, she felt with her whole souls, shouldn’t try to remember. Now that she is aware of her past self, she start thinking that maybe her past self also has seen something similar and helped to block herself from remembering it.

The memories of the moment she lost her parents.

“I shouldn’t remember that much… they are great parents to me. Always protecting me when the other human throws stone to me...” Byleth mumbled as she keep remembering about much better memories of her earlier life.

She can’t forget about that memories. But she can clearly look away from that if she wanted it to be. Her parents surely doesn’t want her to remember about it as well. Her parents should have known about her skill as well. If not, they won’t send her to run away first. If she run away then she won’t see the carnage that she will remember until her life ended.

The warm feeling of meeting her other half quickly calmed down. But now it is slowly replaced by the horror of that tragedy. Both isn’t a good feeling in two different ways.

“Right now I must focus on provision… if Sir Jeralt or anyone in the Order saw my face right now, they would get worried. They are like a family for me right now...” Byleth mumbled to herself as she kept herself together by mentioning about people who have saved her.

At that time...

“Byleth, Lady Manuella is calling for you!” a knight approached Byleth who is tasked to check on provision.

Byleth jumped slightly on the call since she doesn’t realize that someone is coming closer. She mentally scolded herself to keep it together since if they are in a mission then Byleth would certainly pay dearly for it.

“What’s wrong?” the knight asked again since Byleth doesn’t reply quickly.

“A-ah, no… nothing at all. But Lady Manuella huh… I see, it is already that time… thank you, then I’ll change first before coming,” Byleth answered as she changed the topic into her summon.

“Yeah, there is no need to hurry she said. Also, I’ll be taking it out from here so you can just leave,” the knight added as he took the list of provision that Byleth have.

Byleth thanked the knight once again before leaving the room.

Without knowing that the knight then mumbled, “Sometimes I forgot about it but that missy really is still teens huh… Sir Jeralt sure is having it rough. Having daughter in her teens have its own difficulties after all...”

Of course those words doesn’t reach Byleth who left in hurry.

* * *

Byleth changed into her human form in hurry and gets to Manuella’s room. Now that she is officially the guard for the royal couple, Byleth can’t keep the upbringing of knights in Nidhogg. 

Not to mention that she is also a female guard. The way to fight is also different.

That is why she is training with Manuella to be the perfect female guard. Even if Byleth is starting to think that she doesn’t want to stay as Edelgard and Dimitri’s guard any longer.

After all...

“I see, but I think you will make a good second Queen. Right Dimitri?” Edelgard would often say from time to time.

“Right, if it is Edelgard and Byleth I think it would be much better than taking some other lower ranking Nobles. Having tea with you two like this is rather fun after all,” Dimitri responded with a straight expression that shows how he really is considering it.

“Your Highness that joke is rather too hard for a mere knight like me so please don’t mention it...” was all Byleth could answer.

Yes, Dimitri and Edelgard impossible request has escalated.

“Don’t worry it is just a joke. It is just the first time that our Guard isn’t someone so hard to talk with,” Edelgard would says with a giggle that befit her status as Noble Lady.

‘ _It doesn’t sounds like a joke even one bit..._ ’ Byleth would rudely thought time to time since these two said their joke with straight and serious face.

“Now that it come to this. I’m glad that Edelgard find you. It is rather hard to breathe in the castle so having someone so knowing is a big help,” Dimitri would also says with a genuine smile on his face.

“I’m glad that your Highness think so highly of me. But, as expected being the second Queen is a bit too much...” Byleth responded with a mental sighing.

“Yes, yes, then how about joining the Royal Guard? You’re strong after all, having a loyal guard by Royalty’s side will be a big help for us. There are a lot of jobs that the Royalty do after all,” Dimitri would response with less impossible request.

“That is… a little bit hard your Highness,” Byleth tried to reason as she slightly think about the job of Royal Guard.

Being a Royal Guard need a lot of time and more importantly position in the Noble Class. Those two are something that Byleth doesn’t has at all and Byleth is rather glad that she isn’t an official daughter of Jeralt right now.

‘ _Of course I’m glad that Sir Jeralt saved me at that time... he always feels like a father-figure to me too. But I can’t possibly ask for more like a position in his family.._.’ Byleth honestly thought since she does respect the older knight and feel eternally grateful with all her being.

“I see… well, there are a lot of time to think as we go to school. But do you want to be a Knight Byleth?” Dimitri asked with tone that shows he is interested.

“Knight huh...” Byleth wondered as she imagine being an official knight.

“You can fight with Dimitri and is an unofficial member of Nidhogg right? It won’t be too far from what you do right now,” Edelgard responded as she take a sip of her tea.

“Unfortunately I never have thought about it too much before,” Byleth responded with hesitation.

“Then how about we think of it in another way?” Dimitri offered.

“Other way?” Edelgard and Byleth’s voice overlapped and while the Butler doesn’t look at Byleth happily, he doesn’t exactly stop the youngster.

“Then, if we’re not in our position, what kind of job you want to do then?” Dimitri responded as he added that it isn’t limited to Byleth.

“I think Dimitri will be Knight,” Edelgard responded with a straight face.

“El… don’t you have other job that is a bit... out of the box?” Dimitri protested since he is sure that Edelgard just took it out from her look.

“Then, what do you want to do Your Highness?” Byleth asked back since she is rather curious about it as well.

“Baker?” come the answer from Dimitri.

Byleth know that it is rather rude to stare silently at the First Prince. But the answer was just so far from the image that she can’t help but stare. Dimitri? The First Prince wanting to be a baker?

Seems like that opinion is shared with certain someone.

“That is indeed out of the box... Dimitri, you want to be a baker?” Edelgard can only say that words as she is also staring hard to Dimitri.

Dimitri immediately turned red at that. Byleth can’t help but think that maybe the affection is more one-way road than just none. Byleth’s eyes met with a Maid that always follow Dimitri around and the Maid nodded for some reason.

Not that Byleth not realize what the nod actually meant.

‘ _Prince Dimitri… good luck..._ ’ Byleth mentally give the poor guy her mental support.

“Is it that bad!?” Dimitri protested with his full power.

Byleth realize that if it is in private time with Edelgard, Dimitri would look like few years younger. Well, Byleth knew that the royal couple is actually childhood friend while being the fiancé of each other.

“No, no, it is just rare... ah, I remember. When we’re still child, we ever tried to make cookies in my place right? At that time you said that baker is amazing. Is that the reason?” Edelgard laughed while teasing the poor Prince with childhood memories. 

“Y-you remember!?” this time it is Dimitri’s turn to get surprised.

“Of course, it was very funny after all seeing your face with flour and all!” Edelgard giggling while covering her mouth, probably remembering about Dimitri at that time.

“W-why you always remember the bad thing from those times! El too you would get really mad when the flour get to your hair and I say you look like a grandma!” Dimitri fought back as he opened up another childhood secret.

Byleth merely think that such things happened huh...

“W-what is with that!? Dimitri don’t you know that telling girl that she looks old is bad thing!” Edelgard protested as she glared to Dimitri.

Byleth nodded since it is true that no girl would like to be called ‘old’. Not that she has anything to do with their talk. She honestly hope that Dimitri worked harder from now on.

‘ _I should have asked for that person’s name at least..._ ’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes I think that I wrote everyone's characters while thinking that they are still 12 lol. Well, they're 16 though.
> 
> Also relationship is like
> 
> Dimitri → Edelgard → Byleth ↔ Claude


	9. Dreams and Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is out of control even from myself.
> 
> I seriously think what I actually write as I progress since writing Isekai doesn't make any sense.
> 
> Everyone is doing whatever they wanted.

Byleth is contempt to simply look at the royal bickering in front of her. In the first place she has no place to actually join their talk. After all she is a mere guard that is favored because closeness in age.

But as usual the two just won’t leave her alone.

“Then how about Byleth?” Edelgard questioned and returned the topic back.

“Yes?” is all Byleth can answer since she doesn’t think that the topic will return to her again.

“Yeah, just tell Edelgard anything in your mind. She likes you a lot after all,” Dimitri responded with a smile to Byleth.

‘ _Unnecessary affection though,_ ’ Byleth mentally think although she think about the answer to the topic.

Being a fighter is all she knew for so long. Of course she talked with the lady who take care of the cafeteria and servant who look after the Order. There are merchants who do a deal with the Order regarding provision and there are also Smith who worked on the weapon and armory. But none of it brings some kind of interest in her.

But if she must name one...

“Right...” Byleth think about her answer.

Edelgard look at her with great interest and it is shared with Dimitri. Byleth somehow felt embarrassed being seen like that.

If Byleth has the chance then she wanted to be this one. But saying it out loud felt rather embarrassing since she felt like it is unbecoming of a knight in her caliber. Unofficial or not, she is still an active member of Nidhogg. But it is the only answer she could think about.

Byleth glanced at Dimitri and Edelgard who look more interested than before the longer she think about the answer. She is regarded as children in Cat Sìth standard but by human standard she is already of the age so she told herself that is just children day dreaming. It doesn’t make it any less embarrassing since her mind is of the human mentality since she grows around the human society.

‘ _I dislike being called like a child but at this time I hope it sounds like childish dream..._ ’ Byleth mentally fought with a side of her who just can’t accept her childish part while she think that it is better to just push the answer as one.

Dimitri and Edelgard doesn’t seem to care a bit about her unwillingness. 

Giving up, Byleth decided to just says her answer.

“… Housewife,” Byleth responded with voice that is only above whisper.

Without looking directly, Byleth could feel the staring from anyone present, even from the servant. Edelgard eyes opened wide as she looks toward Byleth. Dimitri blink and seems to be deep in thought. Hopefully not anything weird, Byleth added in her head.

‘ _This is why I don’t want to say it..._ ’ Byleth tried to keep her embarrassment in check as she threw out protest inside her head.

It isn’t like the job itself is anything bad. It is good enough that Byleth doesn’t say a job that touch the law. It is totally and completely normal. At least that’s what she told herself.

“Well, that’s… surprising,” Edelgard finally give her comment after a long pause.

Byleth bite her inner cheek to prevent saying unnecessary response. She mentally reviewed the Royal Guard manual inside her head to keep any manner of calmness. Even if she can’t understand what Edelgard is thinking from time to time, she is still of a higher position than Byleth.

‘ _No matter what she says, I must not react_ ,’ Byleth resolved as she kept her eyes straight forward, not even glancing at the Noble.

Now what was the thing she must be cautious about during her duty...

* * *

While Byleth is running from reality, Dimitri find it a good time to give his comment as he looks at Edelgard, “I think it is a fine one El. There is no reason not too. At least the preferred job isn’t going to give us a problem.”

Edelgard become quiet at the correct opinion. If she were to say something about becoming a Noble Lady then Edelgard would need to worry about what kind of faction Byleth would go into. If she were to consider about her condition, whole condition, Byleth becoming a Noble isn’t exactly a welcome news. Depending on how things happened, it could be a bad news instead and Edelgard doesn’t really like playing with her chances.

The answer is rather cute too.

‘ _Yeah, that’s a better thinking,’_ Edelgard mentally think as she mentally approve of Byleth’s choice of the out-of-box answer.

Not to mention that it is extremely cute. Very cute. The ‘cute’ opinion keep floating inside Edelgard that she has a bit of trouble on hiding her smiling face.

“You seem to be satisfied,” Dimitri responded with a gentle smile.

Edelgard smiled back as an answer. Dimitri chuckled and moved the topic again, “So, we only need your answer now El. What kind of job you want to do?”

Edelgard blinked and immediately goes deep into her mind. From time to time she glanced at Byleth and realize that she is pushing her too far. She wondered why Byleth reacted in such a way.

It was like… someone is whispering words at the back of her head.

“El? What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Dimitri asked while tilting his head to Edelgard.

Edelgard looked at Dimitri and shake her head, responding that there is nothing wrong about it. Dimitri seems to take her words on face value and settled with that.

Today’s meeting ended in peace with Dimitri escorting Edelgard to her carriage.

Edelgard sneak one last glance toward Byleth before the carriage left the shadow of the Cat Sìth far behind.

* * *

Edelgard entered her room and told her Butler to leave her room and only call her when it is dinner. She then turned over to a full body mirror that stays on one corner of her room.

Edelgard put her hand on the mirror, her reflection looking back at her from inside. She opened her mouth and mumbled, “… Who is she...? I don’t know about that Professor...”

Edelgard looked at her reflection and in her eyes, there is someone else who eerily resembles her but isn’t her standing there. Pale white hair, pale purple eyes, with charismatic air surrounding her. Everything looked different at the surface but Edelgard knew better that this reflection is something she know as ‘herself’.

Edelgard has been having a dream for few months. A dream of a far distant land, world, that she both know and don’t know. The land is enveloped by flame of war and chaos. The strong would torment the weak and the authority abuse their power. Even if it looked like it is enveloped by splendor, just with a glance out of it, she would be reminded of how people suffer.

In the middle of that, there is one girl. One pitiful girl. A girl that shared the same name with her.

_Edelgard von Hresvelg_

That is the identity of the reflection that Edelgard would always see when she look at her reflection in this mirror. At first Edelgard is confused, there is no way she doesn’t. Her reflection changed all of sudden when it used to reflect herself just before. She even checked if they bought a new enchanted mirror without her knowledge but try as it mays, she doesn’t find such record.

So, Edelgard accepted this anomaly albeit with hesitation.

The dream is realistic, eerily so. Edelgard understand that the dream would jump here and there so it is rather convoluted at times. But, there are few events that would go on repeat that Edelgard can’t help but remember.

First and foremost is a kind of nightmare. In that dream, Edelgard see the other Edelgard is still a young girl. Her surrounding resemble that of a prison. Dark, cold, and timeless since there is no way of knowing how long time had passed.

In that place she would hear all sort of screaming, mostly children.

_Hurt!!!_

_Father save me!!_

_No!!_

Edelgard can only stand still while watching since she knows that she isn’t a part of it. The young Edelgard isn’t her either, and she is for sure that it isn’t something she experienced herself. Her position is of a viewer. An outsider.

But she could feel the emotion of the young Edelgard. Fear, Anger, Sadness, Helpless, Despair, raging emotion that doesn’t fit to be felt by someone as young as that. Not to mention it is an emotion that is alien for her.

After all Edelgard knew, while she admit it is strict, her parents always care about her well-being. Noble women in general is usually told to be a passive support for their husband but her parents made sure she is educated just like her brother because her parents won’t want her to be a mere decoration. That it would be a waste to not give her weapon in the form of knowledge to protect herself with.

Even in the matter of her engagement with Prince Dimitri, her parents would nag at her if she doesn’t want to change her mind even if it were to go against the Royalty. Edelgard might be still young when it happen but she knew that there is no bad thing for accepting the engagement. At the same time she knew that her parents always wanted for her to have a marriage with someone she loves.

Yes, she is loved and protected.

That is why she could say that the Edelgard in front of her isn’t her. But at the same time she feels for her. No matter what the reason, no children should be treated like this. Whenever she sees this dream, she would cry.

The second dream is a very happy one that Edelgard question if it is a memory of the same person. The previously young Edelgard has grown a bit older than her by a year or two. She is going to a school that is different than any school that exist in the world Edelgard live in. 

It is in this dream that she realized that this is a reflection of memory of another her. Her brother who always deep in magic research would tell her about the possibility of the existence of another world outside what they knew.

To put it simply, a lifeform is composed of two things, Vessel that is our body and is filled with what the magician call as Aether. This Aether is what normal people call as soul. The balance of Aether in each people is different and only with certain unique and specific configuration that one soul is made. So, in theory if someone with the capability of manipulating Aether were able to configure someone unique Aether diagram, then it is possible to ‘recreate’ this someone as a new life.

Yes, that is the theory at least.

But try as any would, no one is capable of manipulating Aether in that way until they could make a new life. Homunculus, the closest thing anyone could make would only live out for at most 10 years before inevitably stopped working. Yes, working. The Aether diagram that is put in a Homunculus, even if they based it on someone won’t be able to reproduce the exact result.

That is the work of God.

But still the theory is a sound one albeit no one can replicate it completely. It also clears up a lot of question inside Edelgard for why she is in possession of a memory that isn’t hers.

Someone, probably God, configured her Aether to be similar of that Edelgard von Hresvelg. Due to that similarity, she is in possession of the other Edelgard memories. Then it’ll confirm the existence of another world.

At any rate in this second world she met with people that looks similar to those around her. The most notable one she realize is her private Butler that looks exactly like someone called ‘Hubert’ in her dream. They’re not really the same since her Butler is 20 years her senior.

But the one that gives her the biggest impact is someone that the other Edelgard call as Professor her emotion flowed into her.

Byleth Eisner.

The same person that has become her Guard right now. Sure that the Byleth she sees here is a different one but she could feel herself pulled into her with unknown gravity. The ‘Edelgard’ inside her is wishing for this Byleth.

That is why Edelgard tries to get closer to Byleth. Even if she is aware that her words are kinda on impossible side.

Edelgard wanted to test her theory as well. She wanted to know if this Byleth also share the same memories like her. She felt that at certain length, this Byleth is also made from a similar Aether configuration as the Professor. At least her instinct said that.

But so far she felt that there is inconsistency on Byleth and the Professor in her past memories. This inconsistency is how Byleth reacted to her words.

The Professor inside ‘Edelgard’ memories is someone who won’t push others away and is a willing ears. But Byleth that she knew have different reaction. She realize that Byleth tend to listen more on Dimitri’s words and reacted almost as if she fear for Edelgard.

This inconsistency also mirrors the most convoluted part of the dream Edelgard has of ‘Edelgard’.

In this part, ‘Edelgard’ is an Emperor. As a Kingdom nation, Edelgard herself think that the highest power lies in a King. But for some reason she thinks that ‘Edelgard’ match the description of an Emperor more.

At any rate, this dream of an Emperor Edelgard has variation. The constant part is how she would stand in a field with the ground on fire. The Kingdom of Mag Mell is a peaceful country for centuries but even Edelgard knows that the scene she sees is of a war. And this war is something that is initiated by no one but herself, the Emperor Edelgard.

This is a part where Edelgard draw a clear line between herself and the Emperor. Waging war, for whatever reason, isn’t something that she could agree. Edelgard gets a proper education so she knew. The bigger the war evolves, the suffering after the war ended would grows. She can’t understand why the Emperor think that it is the right way.

“Emperor… you must have your own way of thinking that I don’t share… no, it can’t be helped, we are different after all,” Edelgard chuckled as she took out her notebook that she used to record the dream variation of the ‘Emperor’.

“… More importantly, I have a more important riddle to solve.”

The Byleth that she sees and the Professor from Emperor memories. What made them so inconsistent? A part of her mock her for being too curious for her own good and Edelgard just can’t talk back about that. But she can’t deny that it is fun in and out of itself.

“To do that, I must review what I see in my dream...”

Edelgard took her pen and opened her notes. It is now her new routine for this few weeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't even understand since when I shift the pov to Edelgard and whatever Magic theory I spouted.
> 
> Yeah, Edelgard is in access of her memory albeit she has developed a line from the game one and this story. 
> 
> Well, I did say that even if they don't have the memory of it, if it is carved in the soul then it is possible to recover it. The Aether stuff is half original half adopted anyway. The base is mostly from Final Fantasy 14. I think I also mixed a CLAMP universe theory as well.


End file.
